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Vassar Clements was born April 25, 1928, in Kinard, Florida, but growing up in Kissimmee, where he first picked up the fiddle, earned him the nickname “Kissimmee Kid.” By the age of 21 he replaced Chubby Wise in Bill Monroe’s legendary Blue Grass Boys, and went on to work with artists as diverse as Jim and Jesse McReynolds, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Grateful Dead, and Dave Holland, to name a few. Although he got his start playing in string bands, Clements performed masterfully in any setting, and developed his own distinct style which he referred to as “Hillbilly Jazz.”

Despite a demanding performance schedule, the Kissimmee Kid still returned to his home state, appearing at the Florida Folk Festival between 1997 and 2004. He often sat in with other Festival musicians, appearing alongside the likes of the Rice Brothers, John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson, and Billy Dean.

You can listen to a podcast featuring Clements’ final performance at the 2004 Florida Folk Festival in White Springs.

Vassar Clements died of lung cancer on August 16, 2005, at the age of 77. In his 70 years of fiddle playing, he left behind a large body of classic recordings, unique compositions and undeniable influence. Let’s enjoy some of Vassar’s legacy with his rendition of the Chubby Wise tune “ Florida Blues,” recorded at the 1997 Florida Folk Festival, and “ Salt Creek,” from a 2001 performance with the Rice Brothers.

“Florida Blues”

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